Islam vs Christianity: A Study in Violence and Cruelty

Islam is a
violent religion whose followers will slaughter you and your family in their
quest to convert or kill everyone on the planet. In blessed contrast, we in the
West have a gentle religion that teaches love and tolerance and wants only for
the world to live in peace.

Or so our
handlers want us to believe.

Sane, rational
people have asserted that the only way to deal with the Middle East is to nuke
it all. They express fear that given the chance, any Iraqi and most
Muslims would relish slitting the throats of every man, woman and child in
America. What disproves this quite simply is the fact that the 1.8 million Muslims
in America are not on a rampage.

Why do nice
people have such extreme views of Islam and the Middle East?

The answer: they
have been indoctrinated by our media to hold ideas that profit
those who control our country. There is much to be
gained by demonizing Muslims, as there are gains to be had by Islamic clerics
demonizing the United States and our allies.

This is not to
say that Islam is a fountain of love far superior to Christianity. This is not
an anti-Christian essay. Rather, it must be understood that religions the world
over, with few exceptions, have violent teachings and dark histories. Christianity
is no better, and is in some cases worse, than Islam when it comes to
professing and committing violence.

What follows is
an admittedly brief consideration of selected excerpts from the two holy books
in question as well as an equally brief historical sketch of the two religions.
I am guilty of “picking and choosing” from both the texts and from history.
That is unavoidable. To learn more, investigate for yourself with open eyes and
open minds.

ISLAM

The Islamic holy
book, the Koran, was allegedly revealed to Muhammad by Allah over a 23-year period,
beginning in 610 CE. Muhammad would recite these revelations and his followers
would write those utterances down. In it we learn that Allah is the creator and
sustainer of the world.

But the Koran
also has peaceful passages advocating tolerance, temperance, and forgiveness:

Fight in the cause of God those who fight
you, but do not transgress limits; for God loveth not transgressors. 2:190

Let there be no compulsion in religion:
Truth stands out clear from error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah
hath grasped the most trustworthy handhold, that never breaks. 2:256

Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who
restrain anger, and pardon (all) men; -- for Allah loves those who do good. 3:134

As well as numerous stories cautioning
against killing women or children in battle, showing mercy to vanquished foes,
and looking inside yourself before condemning others.

History

Islam has a long
history of violence. From its inception in the mid 600s, Muslims soon conquered
the deserts of Arabia then moved on the capture or greatly influence most of
the Mediterranean peoples. They did this primarily through military conquest,
requiring much bloodshed.

Even with this mayhem and prefiguring the
Geneva conventions by over a millennia, the Koran set out strict guidelines in
the conduct of war and the treatment of prisoners. Women and children were not
to be harmed and any enemy soldiers taken captive were to be treated with
respect, not tortured or sold into slavery. We see this in action in the
Crusades. After the Muslims would retake Jerusalem, there would be none of the
“rivers of blood” slaughter or religious intolerance we see when the control of
the city rebounded to the Christians; under Muslim control, non-combatants
would be spared and their individual religions allowed to be practiced openly.

Most recently, however,
Islamic terrorists have committed grave acts in the name of Islam. This cannot be
denied. According to the US State Department, there were approximately 11,800
terrorist attacks in 2008, resulting in over 54,000 deaths. There are many who
follow Muhammad who interpret the Koran in ways that justify and encourage
their deeds.

However, a
Gallup poll conducted in various Middle Eastern countries reported in 2007 that
more than 90% of respondents “condemned the killing of non-combatants on
religious and humanitarian grounds.” If their responses are to be believed, it
shows that Muslim terror attacks are being committed by the militant fringe of
Islam who interpret the Koran in ways that not only sanction their atrocities
but rewards them. The vast majority of Muslims do not have violent tendencies
and live and love, fail and succeed just as we do in the west.

CHRISTIANITY

The Bible, most
especially the New Testament, abounds with passages that promote peaceful
coexistence, love and charity. Jesus’ main message was to treat others as you would
want to be treated- the Golden Rule. Without a
doubt, the Bible can be read as a valuable guidebook on how to be compassionate
and in harmony with the rest of creation. It contains messages of love that can
be seen repeated throughout. Following are just a few examples:

“Thou shalt not kill”(Exo 20:13),

“Love thy neighbour”(Mat
19:19)

“Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over
all wrongs.” Proverbs 10:12:

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another
in love."

Ephesians 4:2

However, as I
selected the above passages in order to prove the peaceful content of the
Bible, below I will pick and choose passages that show a different face of
Christianity.

Lot refuses to give up his angels to the perverted mob, offering his
two "virgin daughters" instead. He tells the bunch of angel rapers to
"do unto them [his daughters] as is good in your eyes." Genesis 19:7-8

A child who hits or curses his parents must be executed. Exodus 21:15, 17

"He who sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he
shall be utterly destroyed."

Under God's direction, Moses' army defeats the Midianites. They kill
all the adult males, but take the women and children captive. When Moses learns
that they left some live, he angrily says: "Have you saved all the women
alive? Kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath
known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a
man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.” Numbers 31:1-54

In all, the Bible has almost three times as
many cruel or violent passages than does the Koran. However, the Bible is about
five times longer. Taking this into account, the Bible actually has a lower
percentage of violent passages than the Muslim holy book.

So it is really up for grabs which holy book is
more violent. Nevertheless, it would be safe to say that the big three Abrahamic
religious canons that rely on the Old Testament (Judaism, Christianity and
Islam) are the world leaders in violence and cruelty.

History

While Christianity has a long history of charitable
works, it also has an equally long history of sponsoring or encouraging
conflict around the world. The Crusades (1095-1291), an obvious example, were
prompted and organized by the Church and resulted in much slaughter- and many
of those dead beneath the Crusaders’ swords were Christians (Byzantium- First
Crusade). Their mistake was to have darker skin and to speak a foreign tongue.

The Inquisition began against the Cathars in
the Albigensian Crusade (1202-1229) and went on to span nearly 700 years
(1180-1850). Estimates of the number killed ranges from thousands (too low) to
millions (ridiculously high). In
essence, the Inquisition was a systematic and highly effective program that
eradicated any challenges to the power and authority of the Roman Catholic
Church.

Then we have the European maritime conquests in
the Age of Exploration. From Columbus to Cook, European explorers used their
religion (and the prospect of riches) to inspire their sailors into the
dangerous journey and to justify the subjugation and enslavement of the native
populations they encountered. All in the name of spreading the good word.

Moving faster, we see the religious wars that
dotted the medieval landscape beginning in the 1500s, the settling and
expansion of the early pilgrims, the decimation of the Native American Indian
tribes, conquest of Central and South America as well as the Pacific Island
nations, and Hitler’s co-opting of Christianity to justify his actions.
Currently, we have many fundamentalists in this country today who speak of
cleansing the world of the “Islamic scourge” and other apocalyptic rantings.

CONCLUSION

With few exceptions, religions the world over preach and commit acts
outsiders would condemn. Jews and Muslims slaughter animals according to
strictures laid out in their religious teachings, some Muslims practice female
castration, Christians in Africa burn children they suspect of witchcraft, and
gays have been beaten and even killed due to selective interpretations of the
Bible.

While much of the cruelty can be attributed to erroneous interpretations,
some of the most heinous actions are very clear and require no interpretation.
The behavior of the Israelites after they left Egypt if committed today, would
be labeled genocide and condemned by the world.

Unfortunately, Muslim actions today are in keeping with the teachings
found in the Koran. And fortunately, cruel and violent acts committed by
Christians, while horrible, rarely reached the level of atrocities found in the
Bible. God, at least in the Old Testament, killed indiscriminately and with
such thoroughness and barbarity as to raise the envy of even the most malignant
despot.

For believers,
acknowledging negative aspects is difficult. But it must be recognized that
humans have the tendency to emphasize the faults in others while they minimize
(or even ignore) their own. This is true worldwide and throughout time mainly
because it is a valuable survival tool. Leaders recognize this and capitalize
on it by appealing to the native religious system in order to create an “Other”
that requires vanquishing. That
Other, in every case, has something of value coveted by those in power.

Systems of
power, of which Religion is undeniably one, are all eventually used by the
unscrupulous in order to improve their position (greed). We see this repeated
time and time again throughout history. Systems of power get bent to the will
of those who control it. And saintly sheep do not gravitate to systems of
power. Devilish Wolves do.

If you have made
it this far, it should be clear that this essay was not proving that Islam is
peaceful. It is, in fact, possibly the most violent religious ideology
currently on the planet. But for Christians to notice that speck while ignoring
the branch is to wear blinders to reality. While those blinders make us feel
good and righteous, they limit knowledge and hamper progress towards peace. Most
importantly, those blinders make us as a herd of simpletons easy to control in
the service of ends we would not otherwise support.

Comments

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sending

Jay C OBrien

2 years agofrom Houston, TX USA

So, will Imam of Kaba get with the Pope over the language and place it in the headings on all pages of the Bible and Qu'ran? Let Christianity and Islam agree.

Rameen Waseem

2 years ago

Well if I wanted to qoute someone then i would simply quote Allah's words in Quran or Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)'s words in Ihadis but a well known muslim leader is the Imam of Kaba.

Jay C OBrien

3 years agofrom Houston, TX USA

Yes, I understand. I am proposing both Christian and Muslim agree to the same language and place it in their respective books.

I quoted Pope Francis because he is a well known Christian leader. Who is like to him in Islam?

Do you personally agree, "Violence by man against man is in contradiction with any religion worthy of that name?"

How else would you say it?

Rameen Waseem

3 years ago

In Quran violence is not allowed whether it is to non muslims ,animals or anyone so a well known Imam will never agree on violence.I donot know about a Christian leader because I am not a christian,I am a Muslim.

Jay C OBrien

3 years agofrom Houston, TX USA

Proposed, both Islam (which Imam?) and Pope Francis place the same statement renouncing violence throughout an updated edition of the Bible and the Quran. Have a well known Christian leader and a well known Imam agree and place it in their sacred book.

Rameen Waseem

3 years ago

Yes,it is correct.There have been many Hadis by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him )related to avoiding violence.

Jay C OBrien

3 years agofrom Houston, TX USA

The Pope said, "Violence by man against man is in contradiction with any religion worthy of that name."

Q. Can Islam make a similar declaration renouncing violence?

From your answer I gather the answer to the question is, "Yes."

Is that correct?

Jay C OBrien

3 years agofrom Houston, TX USA

USA Today

Monday, January 18, 2016 7A

Pope Francis used his first visit as pontiff to a synagogue to denounce violence and hail the "inseparable bond" between Jews and Christians. The Pope said, "Violence by man against man is in contradiction with any religion worthy of that name."

Can Islam make a similar declaration renouncing violence?

See Hub, "Pope Francis Bible."

Rameen Waseem

3 years ago

Christianity contends that Jesus was crucified, dead, and buried outside of Jerusalem during the thirty-third year of His life. Christians contend that there is Biblical and historical evidence for the crucifixion, and that it was significant theologically in providing an atonement for the sins of all who would/will believe.

Muslims dispute the fact of Jesus' crucifixion, argue that Allah would never have dishonored His prophet by allowing Him to undergo such a death. Muslims believe that Jesus was miraculously caught up into heaven and that someone took His place on the cross.

The oldest Bible is found in Palestine and is a proof of Quran to be true and that Jesus (peace be upon him)is a Prophet of God.There is a video relating to it on internet and by reading it is clearly understood that Bible has been edited.

Jay C OBrien

3 years agofrom Houston, TX USA

Rameen Waseem

The Bible was compiled in the Fifth Century. To what do you refer?

What about the previous two questions?

Rameen Waseem

3 years ago

Oldest bible found in Palestine confirms Jesus was a servant of god. This is a story that has been hidden for more than 2000 years. It goes right back to the very beginning of Christianity and if true, it will rock everything that Christians believe in.

Jay C OBrien

3 years agofrom Houston, TX USA

Rameen Waseem

Two questions:

1. Can you take the Peace Testimony (see above)?

2. Can Islam accept that Jesus had a near death experience (NDE)? A NDE is where a person is clinically death and then resuscitates. See IANDS website for more info.

Rameen Waseem

3 years ago

Existing peacefully with non-Islamic beliefs is an essential Islamic principle that is clearly stated in many Qur’anic verses, and that has been practiced by Muslims throughout their history.

Moreover, It is one function of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of minorities, and this is why non-Muslims places of worship have flourished all over the Islamic world. History provides many examples of Muslim tolerance towards other faiths; when the caliph Omar entered Jerusalem in the year 634, Islam granted freedom of worship to all religious communities in the city. Islamic law also permits non-Muslims minorities to set up their own courts, which implement family laws drawn up by the minorities themselves.

I do not know why some people consider Islam as violent religion or Muslims are oppressed, and

show in there comments a tone of disrespect to Islam,while Muslims respect and revere Jesus (peace be upon him). They consider him one of the greatest of God’s messengers to mankind. The Quran confirms his virgin birth, and a chapter of the Quran is entitled ‘Maryam’ (Mary).In addition Belief in all of the Prophets and Messengers of God is a fundamental article of faith in Islam. Thus, believing in Prophets Adam, Jesus, Moses, and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them) is a requirement for anyone who calls him or herself a Muslim. A person claiming to be a Muslim who, for instance, denies the Messengership of Jesus, is not considered a Muslim.

Finally , people misjudge Muslims and Islam because they do not know the reality of this religion and rely on stereotypes, bias media and so on.

Jay C OBrien

3 years agofrom Houston, TX USA

Let us all agree to take the Peace Testimony:

Renounce war and fighting for any reason or under any pretense whatsoever.

We are all individuals with free will, use it.

Joseph O Polanco

4 years ago

Would a sadistic warmongering god ever extend mercy? Yet, when the people of one particular Canaanite city , Gibeon , sought mercy , Jehovah extended it . ( Joshua 9 :3-27 ) Could a bloodthirsty war god have done so ? Of course no , yet a God who delights in peace and justice would certainly .—Psalm 33 :5 ; 37 :28 .

Over and over again , the Bible connects God’s blessing with tranquility because Jehovah is a lover of peace , not war . ( Numbers 6 :24-26 ; Psalm 29 :11 ; 147 :12-14 ) Due to this fact , when King David hoped to erect a holy space of worship to Jehovah , God explained to him : “You will not build a house for my name, for you have shed a great deal of blood on the earth before me .”—1 Chronicles 22 :8 ; Acts 13 :22 .

While on earth , the Greater David , Jesus Christ , referred to an era when God’s love of justice would cease to permit him to stomach the modern-day ungodliness we observe the world over . ( Matthew 24 :3 , 36-39 ) As he did with the Flood of Noah’s time as well as in the devastation of Sodom and Gomorrah , Jehovah God Almighty will very soon take judicial measures to scour the world of narcissistic , ungodly individuals , thereby paving the path for tranquil conditions to exist under his heavenly Kingdom rule .—Psalm 37 :10 , 11 , 29 ; Daniel 2 :44 .

Now, even though the Bible recounts Jehovah God’s past adverse judgments frankly, you need to keep in mind that such were invariably against ungodly individuals and in defense of the innocent . After all, “Minatur innocentibus qui parcit nocentibus.”

By way of example , it was not until the entire world of Noah’s time finally became “filled with violence” that Jehovah declared : “As for me, I am going to bring floodwaters upon the earth to destroy from under the heavens all flesh that has the breath of life .” ( Genesis 6 :11 , 17 ) Surrounding another judgment , it absolutely was only as a result of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah had “abandoned themselves to sexual immorality and were bent on perverted sensuality” that God caused it to “rain sulfur and fire .”—Jude 7 , The New Berkeley Version ; Genesis 19 :24 .

Did God relish bringing all flesh to ruin in Noah’s day ? Or did he derive some fiendish pleasure from destroying the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah ? For an answer , let us look at the events surrounding the Flood of Noah’s day . The Holy Scriptures inform us that it devastated God that “every inclination of the thoughts of [man’s] heart was only bad all the time .” Their maleficence ' saddened his heart. ' Nonetheless , God dispatched Noah , “a preacher of righteousness ,” to sound a monition as well as to construct an ark for the preservation of the godly .—Genesis 6 :3-18 ; 2 Peter 2 :5 . ( Bracket mine ) So you see, undesirable judgments from God Almighty have at all times resulted only because evil men and/or women adamantly refuse to forbear their depravity and evildoing , not because Jehovah delights in doing away with individuals . Now you might ask yourself , ‘Did not Jehovah spur the Israelites to battle with various other nations and obliterate these ?’

The Amalekites , just to illustrate , were “the first one of the nations” to launch an unprovoked assault on the Israelites after the Exodus , at Rephidim in the vicinity of Mount Sinai . For this reason , Jehovah decreed absolute annihilation for the Amalekites . ( Nu 24 :20 ; Ex 17 :8-16 ; De 25 :17-19 ) Twice in the course of the period of the Judges these acrimonious foes of Israel shared in attacking Israel . They did it in the times of Eglon king of Moab . ( Jg 3 :12 , 13 ) Yet again , with the Midianites together with Easterners , they ransacked the territory of Israel seven years before Gideon together with his 300 men dealt them a great defeat .—Jg 6 :1-3 , 33 ; 7 :12 ; 10 :12 . As a result of their unrelenting violence , in the period of the kings Jehovah ‘called to account’ the Amalekites , instructing King Saul to strike them down , which he actually did “from Havilah as far as Shur , which is in front of Egypt .” ( 1Sa 15 :2-33 )

Meanwhile , demon worship , child sacrifice , sadistic violence , together with a range of disgusting sex worship were the order of the day with the Canaanites . Being a God of justice , Jehovah would not make it possible for these types of sickening practices to thwart the tranquility and safety of godly human beings , in particular Israel . ( Deuteronomy 5 :9 ) To illustrate , imagine if the neighborhood where you reside was without a legitimate police force or militia to apply the laws and regulations of the land—would that not give rise to sheer bedlam and violent rioting of the worst kind ? Equally , Jehovah was required to take action against the Canaanites owing to their licentiousness as well as the legitimate peril they presented to pure worship . For this reason , he decreed : “the land is unclean, and I will bring punishment on it for its error, and the land will vomit its inhabitants out.”—Leviticus 18 :25 . “ It is because of the wickedness of these nations that Jehovah is driving them away from before you” , he conveyed to the Israelites at Deuteronomy 9 :4-6 , “It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going in to take possession of their land .”

Divine justice was undertaken every time God’s executional forces—the Israelite armies—destroyed the Canaanites . That God decided to make use of human beings to execute this judgment , in lieu of fire or flood , could not lessen the verdict . Consequently , when warring with the nations of Canaan , the Israelite legions were mandated : "In the cities of these peoples, which Jehovah your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not allow any breathing thing to live. Instead, you should devote them completely to destruction, the Hit′tites, the Am′or·ites, the Ca′naan·ites, the Per′iz·zites, the Hi′vites, and the Jeb′u·sites, just as Jehovah your God has commanded you; so that they may not teach you to follow all their detestable practices that they have done for their gods, causing you to sin against Jehovah your God." —Deuteronomy 20 :16-18 .

As opposed to Ares , Otrera , Keres , Enyo or Eris , among others , Jehovah God is a respecter of life . Accordingly , He would not endorse indiscriminate slaying . Deuteronomy 20 :10 and 11 instructed the ancient Israelites , ““If you approach a city to fight against it, you should also announce to it terms of peace. If it gives a peaceful answer to you and opens up to you, all the people found there will become yours for forced labor, and they will serve you."

Even though Israelite troops were permitted to marry captives they had to attend to them with the same rights and honor due to an Israelite wife . Poles apart from what's seen in today's wars , Israelite soldiers were absolutely barred from raping or otherwise abusing women . Jehovah instructed , "If you go to war against your enemies and Jehovah your God defeats them for you and you take them captive, and you see among the captives a beautiful woman and you are attracted to her and you want to take her as your wife, you may bring her into your house. She should then shave her head, attend to her nails, and remove the clothing of her captivity, [for hygienic reasons ] and dwell in your house. She will weep for her father and her mother a whole month, and afterward you may have relations with her; you will become her husband and she will become your wife. But if you are not pleased with her, you should then let her go wherever she wishes. But you may not sell her for money or treat her harshly.” -Deuteronomy 21:10-14 ( Bracket mine.)

Unmistakably , then , Jehovah is not the bloodthirsty God he is undeservedly charged of being . Having said that , he will not shrink back from rendering justice whenever it is due . God’s love of goodness demands that he take action on behalf of those godly ones who love him by eradicating the evil system that oppresses them all . When he does so , authentic peacefulness will certainly flourish earth wide as the genuinely meek ones unitedly worship Jehovah , “the God of peace .”—Philippians 4 :9 .

guy

4 years ago

The muslims (purposely lower case), couldn't become civilized in 100K years. Don't compare them to Christians.

Elizabeth

4 years agofrom The US of A, but I'm Open to Suggestions

I agree whole heartedly with a previous comment here. It's interesting to note (and often overlooked) that Christianity has had 500 more years to evolve and adapt than Islam has. What did Christianity look like 500 years ago? They were burning people at the stake for heresy. Yet Christianity in a lot of ways was dragged kicking and screaming out of the dark age through the enlightenment and had to choose to either adapt or die. I wonder if Islam won't eventuality be faced with the same choice.

Vinay

4 years ago

Islam is most distorious barbaric religion, Muslims didn't rule on whole India but mostly ruled on Afghanistan, Punjab (Pakistan) Bengal (Bangladesh)(where before 630 ad majority population was hindu) and here about 98% population is Muslim as they killed the hindus cruelly / cinverted them residing there.

On the Fence

5 years ago

It's interesting to note that Islam is younger than Christianity, and also to note that Christianity experienced a fairly bloody period at about the same age as Islam is at now.

Like Andy, I'm a tolerant person with no affiliation to any religion. Knowing how absolutely stupid the human race is, when anyone asserts that their religion is correct, that really just proves it's completely wrong... because NONE of us is close to smart enough to really know what's going on in the universe... We think the Incas were primitive in their religious beliefs - could it be that in a thousand years the future people will be laughing at us (all of us)?

Ram Sharma

5 years ago

Christianity might have been horrible in the past but compared to Islam, it is an angelic religion. Islam is the religion of Satan. Mohammad was a mad person and made up all the communication from Allah. He was sadistic and sexual pervert. You have not studied the violence and hatred Islam believers exhibited and still do in India, China, Russia, Europe, and everywhere else in the world.

DAOUD Waeil

6 years ago

Salem ALIKOM,

Can u tell me how much ISLAM kills people? (Remember the World War 1 and 2, and when Christian country try to colonise other country and convert them ...),

The Old Testament is a historical account of how Yahweh rose the nation of Isreal. It is the Old Covenant between Yahweh and Isreal, and those of the Old Testament were not Christians. Christians do not follow the Old Testament they follow the New Testament. The New Testament is the New Covenant between Yahweh and all mankind And there is no violence taught in the New Testament. And man has committed evil acts against man in the name of Yahweh not religion. The true name of the maker is Yahweh, and the Hebrew character that depict Yahweh can be translated to read "Behold the hand behold the nail."

Saghir Ayub

6 years ago

Muslims were the lords of Arabia for 1400 years. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia for 1400 years. Yet today, there are 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians i.e. Christians since generations. If the Muslims had used the sword there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian.

The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. If they wanted, they had the power of converting each and every non-Muslim of India to Islam. Today more than 80% of the population of India are non-Muslims. All these non Muslim Indians are bearing witness today that Islam was not spread by the sword.

Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, “Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?”

Similarly, Islam has spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. One may again ask, if Islam was spread by the sword, “Which Muslim army went to the East Coast of Africa?”

An article in Reader’s Digest ‘Almanac’, year book 1986, gave the statistics of the increase of percentage of the major religions of the world in half a century from 1934 to 1984. This article also appeared in ‘The Plain Truth’ magazine. At the top was Islam, which increased by 235%, and Christianity had increased only by 47%. May one ask, which war took place in this century which converted millions of people to Islam?

Today the fastest growing religion in America is Islam. The fastest growing religion in Europe in Islam. Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept Islam in such large numbers? Even all that negative media campaign can't stop your own people from becoming muslims. Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson rightly says, “People who worry that nuclear

weaponry will one day fall in the hands of the Arabs, fail to realize that the Islamic bomb has been dropped already, it fell the day MUHAMMED (pbuh) was born”.

It is the sword of intellect. The sword that conquers the hearts and minds of people. The Qur’an says in Surah Nahl, chapter 16 verse 125:

“Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious.” [Al-Qur’an 16:125]

Truth Presented. Truth Accepted.

Musa M.F.Kouma-Deito Kromah

6 years ago

the Quran is the only book in world of religions that carried the Inscription 'No Compulsion in Religion that can easily be understood by the atleast person on the Globe , this inscription clearly fulfill the Choice of Religion for everyman as decree or mandated by the God , the Creator of Everything , this illustrates the right to self desire that is protected and incorporated by the choice of Good and Bad. However, the Words of God are cleared but the interpretations of the Words have become darken by greed , and selfishness through manipulation of desire with exceptions to the Divine Promulgators starting from Adam , Moses , Jesus and then to Mohammed the Seal of the Proclaimers, therefore it become a concortion for one to say that Islam is violent because of actions of few individuals that are self noble extraordinaire to themselves , all have had bad periods be it the imposition of Christainity in the Americas Europe , Asia and Africa through principally through slavery and annexation likewise as Islam in Some parts of Europe, and Africa . Nevertheless, Islam the perfection submission to the Way of God as mandated by its Holy Constitution can never be Violent ,because as stated by the French Scientist '' that when you suppressed a system to stress that system will have to lease itself '' this is because that any thing founded on falsehood, violenthood and etc will never survive when such force is no longer visibled but the 1.87 billion to 2 billions Muslims on earth are multivated by the Uniqueness of the Religion in its totalities not conjections of the words by other false preachers or maldoctrinists of the Holy Scriptures, You are free to Join the most Unique Way of Finding God on Earth through Islam ,and you have the right to leave and stay as guarantee by the Chapter 2: Verse256 of the Quran not on opinion of Anyone be Sheikh, Imam or other relevant authorities but by your conscious, heart, mind ,soul and body because you are accountabled to God not Man .I close with the Saying : Do what your mind tell you .

Andy Aitch

6 years agofrom UK & South East Asian Region

To be honest, I usually try to stay out of debates/conversations on religion. Atheists that spread their message of disbelief, and without invitation, are equally as bad as religious folks who do the same with their faith.

Having said that, I felt I had to just comment on something I saw on world news a couple of weeks ago.

An irate Muslim was demonstrating about this tacky video that insulted the bloke that found and spread the word of Islam. On his placard it read; "Behead all those who say Islam is a Violent Religion".

If it wasn’t so warped it could have been funny. And I hope he didn't really mean what he wrote. If all religions teach tolerance, and compassion, as they say they do, then why not IGNORE those who insult and mock their faith, and embrace all those who do. Simple really :)

Andy Aitch

Tony McGregor

6 years agofrom South Africa

Thanks for attempting what is often an underappreciated task - bringing sanity and perspective into the religious debate! Zealots of all persuasions do great damage to humanity and the world. We need tolerance instead of bigotry, empathy instead of hate.

Musa M.F.Kouma-Deito Kromah

7 years ago

Islam is not violent religion , neither is it violent free ; however , no religions through its history have not carry out atrocities in the name of God , neither Christainity less violent than Islam or other major religions .

It is hard to say that one is violent than the other, Islam was spreaded through out the largest Islamic country without a single bloodshed on the contrary it has violent period in its foundation.

Nevertheless, it should be understood that Christainity was spread as means of cutting-off the heads of thousand and millions of the Natives of the America , or through the process of slavery that converted millions or billions without their own will or desire from Europe to Asia , Africa to America and the world over that debar the rights of the slaves through barbarism or inhumane acts .

It could actually be sentimental to elevate the dignity of one religion over the other. Islam has allowed Christainity to survive when it has no lifeline in areas that were captured by Muslim Jihadists ,and even today Christains live in predominant Islam countries without harrassment and so do Christains to Muslims.

Saved Humanity from those who exercise extremism be it Christain Jealous or Crusaders , Muslim Jihadists , Atheist ,and other religions world over.

Andy Aitch

7 years agofrom UK & South East Asian Region

Extremists are extremists whatever the religion or belief, and no one side is better than the other for preaching radical views and or actions. That said, it does appear that Islam is incredibly violent if the media is really reporting NEWS without bias.

Whatever news channel we turn on, whatever radio chat-show we listen to, whatever website we open covering current affairs, whatever movies or documentaries we watch on TV, and whatever we read in the newspapers these days, Islam and its Muslim followers are dominating all the major headlines.

And it beggars belief how the entire Islamic world is up in arms over a cartoonist in Denmark, yet the entire Islamic world is not up in arms over the fellow Muslims planting bombs to mass murder innocent followers of Islam in crowded market places and even blowing up mosques (all of which stock copies of the Holy Koran). Is The Koran not the same Koran no matter what the sect?

Either all the news reports are totally fabricated and grossly exaggerated on their reporting or they're not.

All I can be thankful for is that I'm a good, decent man of absolutely no faith or following in what the story tellers have put into their story books for humans to read and worship.

Would the world be a better place without religion? Of that I'm not sure, but that's something for another hub.

Andy Aitch

Christopher A Harper

7 years agofrom Norfolk,VA

@jiji wrong Christians do believe the OT. If we did not believe in the OT then NOTHING in the NT is to be believed either. God created the World THROUGH the Word(Logos/Christ)As for the topic it always makes me upset when people demonize Islam. ALL religions have done HORRIBLE things in the name of "God". And I'll be the first to say sometimes I don't understand why God ordered such horrible things in the OT. But my relationship with Him grows so maybe one day I will understand. But I embrace nonviolent and law abiding Muslims and Jews as brothers and sisters. Peace.

Amit

7 years ago

"but if this was the case then Hinduism would have not existed anymore as Muslims"

this is totally wrong muslims did not ruled india for 1000 years and they never ruled whole country atmost they ruled north india for 150 years other were small kingdoms

jiji

7 years ago

the quotes u mentioned to defame christanity is the quotes from old testament, which followers of christ( christians ) do not believe in. old testament is common for mudlims jews, but chritianity is what christ's teachings r. nothing to do with old testament.

Johnzo

7 years ago

LOL, thanks for the article, but nothing that is not obvious to anyone with their eyes open. And of course I got a laugh from the emails from Christians and Muslims, both open to the faults of the "other" and in denial of their own..

The comments are always the proof on these kinds of posts

7 years ago

Ironic that the 3 responses other than the authors seek to dispell the notion that their god and their faith might be as or more violent than the other.. With more than a note of hostility towards the author as well as the "the other" for even posing the question. What manifests on a post like this will be academic the same discussion in a tavern would almost assuredly turn violent.

The psychology of the believer is well understood and all one need do is search"social experiments" to find lots of work on the subject.

The fact is 35-40% of human beings are predisposed to outright conformity through peer pressure.. While 78% of us succumb when in a group to "group think" or "mob" mentality.

There's no semantical exchange that can change the historical fact of violence perpetrated in the name of god. The abrahamic religions are dogmatic catylists that spawn unbelievable amounts of cruelty and suffering all the while tributing god for delivering them to the truth and the light.

Again the psychology behind this abhorent socialization begins early on leaving the subject permanantly infantile in the eyes of their god.. Never fully accepting themselves as the adult but rather the disobedient child in need of saving by the parent. This transferral of responsibility leaves the believer in a position of both moral superiority and child like excusability. Much the way Hitler instituted the Fatherland creating a vacum where the child of the father can do his bidding without the responsibility of their own action... The authority resting with the parent God (state).

There is no reasoning with people who own something irrational based on emotional needs. We will literally ignore our own perceptions of reality to maintain our status within the group.

Very interesting read sir thank you

BigRoger

7 years ago

"Everywhere in Quraan when it has come to mention about killing the infidels, it had always been for those who fights you, not the civilians. however, it never harmed those who wished to stay Christian or Jew, who's decedents had no mercy later whenever they had chance. No body can deny the massacre of Muslims in Spain, where during a hundred years, millions of Muslims (even though not accepted by non-neutrals) were brutally massacred. Crusade wars is not something to be even denied by a fool and a brainwashed person, where killing a Muslim was as much justified as drinking of wine (for fun). Even though the non combatants came to Jerusalem together with those who had no mercy to Muslims including the women and children, but still their was no atrocities noted against them."

A Non-muslim cannot be defined as a "civilian" in the Islamic law. The prophet has been clear on this: "I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not declare that there is no god but Allah."

He was only mirroring Allah's word on it: "And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allah) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah Alone [in the whole of the world]."

As long as a non-muslim doesn't recognize that there's no god but allah and muhammad is his messenger he is causing "Fitnah".

"Muslims ruled over Arabia for over ruled for 1303 years before collapse of Caliphate in 1924,"

Muslims are still rulers of Arabia ! Have you forgot about the existence of Saudi Arabia ? Let me remind that it is one of two countries who is fully applying Sharia along with Iran. (Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan are also applying it in some places of their territories)

"it never harmed those who wished to stay Christian or Jew"

In that case what about the infamous Jizya tax whom muslims are exempted ? This tax has bled many non-muslim communities dry as they became the main source of money for the various islamic caliphates. The Jizya makes sure that non-muslims "feel themselves subdued" as Allah said in the Quraan.

Moreover non-muslims are subjected to many discriminations they:

-are forbidden to build churches or synagogues or restore the old ones.

-are not to be greeted with "peace be upon you" but with "peace be upon those who are rightly guided" that means the muslims

-are buried in segregated cemeteries

All of this is summed up in the manual "Minhaj Al-Muslim"

"Crusade wars is not something to be even denied by a fool and a brainwashed person, where killing a Muslim was as much justified as drinking of wine (for fun)"

The Crusades were a response to more than four centuries of Islamic conquest. Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria were all centres of Christendom who fell under Islam through war in the 7th century! North Africa, Syria and Irak before Muhammad were Christian lands. The Crusades was an attempt not only to recover them but also to put a stop to the flow of Jihad which was going on in Anatolia and was threatening to subjugate all of Europe !

"The killer of an innocent Non Muslim (Disbeliever) is as equally punished as the killer of a Muslim (Believer)."

Absolutely not! Manual of Islamic law "Reliance of the Traveller" makes it clear that there's NO retaliation in cases where a muslim kill a non-muslim

"Massacre of Bosnian Muslims were not done by those not living under Muslim rules,but by those who were the decedents of those who had lived under Muslims for almost hundreds of Years.

The massacre of Shatila and Sabra Refugee camps were done by those who's forefathers had been living under Muslim rules for thousands of years. And Zionist Jews were the decedents of those who were sheltering under Muslims in Europe to be protected from Christians, who wanted to massacre them."

You should know that these slaughters have been met with unanimous disapproval in Israel and in the United States of America. Not to mention that it was the USA who has helped the muslims bosnians and albanians against Milosevic and who has established their islamic states (Bosnia and Kosovo) ! Yet despite America is still the most hated nation in the Middle East. The Obama administration needs to understand that no matter how benevolent they can be to these countries America will always be seen as a primary enemy !

Mustaan

8 years agofrom Canada

Even though you tried to act neutral, however, you still tried to malign Islam.

It is not surprising when a western, be it Jewish, Christian or atheist, writes and is not going to try pick and chose from the whole scenario, whether it is in the same chapter or even same verse.

It is not surprising either, when maximum ten Ayaat (verses) are taken out of 6666 and then a decision is made upon.

Everywhere in Quraan when it has come to mention about killing the infidels, it had always been for those who fights you, not the civilians. If it was opposite to this, then we should have seen this during the course of history. Muslims ruled over Arabia for over ruled for 1303 years before collapse of Caliphate in 1924, however, it never harmed those who wished to stay Christian or Jew, who's decedents had no mercy later whenever they had chance. No body can deny the massacre of Muslims in Spain, where during a hundred years, millions of Muslims (even though not accepted by non-neutrals) were brutally massacred. Crusade wars is not something to be even denied by a fool and a brainwashed person, where killing a Muslim was as much justified as drinking of wine (for fun). Even though the non combatants came to Jerusalem together with those who had no mercy to Muslims including the women and children, but still their was no atrocities noted against them.

Massacre of Bosnian Muslims were not done by those not living under Muslim rules,but by those who were the decedents of those who had lived under Muslims for almost hundreds of Years.

The massacre of Shatila and Sabra Refugee camps were done by those who's forefathers had been living under Muslim rules for thousands of years. And Zionist Jews were the decedents of those who were sheltering under Muslims in Europe to be protected from Christians, who wanted to massacre them.

Atrocities against idol-worshipers had never been existing amongst Muslims, but if this was the case then Hinduism would have not existed anymore as Muslims have ruled over India for almost one thousand years.

Finally what I want to mention here is that, I can quote the verses of Quraan here, which are then putting limits on killing and forbid the atrocities. The killer of an innocent Non Muslim (Disbeliever) is as equally punished as the killer of a Muslim (Believer).

I know that you have tried to study both with open eyes, but it was surprising if you had not quoted those parts of the verses or chapters only, that suited your own needs.

The matter I wanted to write back, is when you considered Islam and its guiding book, Quraan as the most violent religious ideology on the face of the earth, while practically can't accepted.

Regards

AUTHOR

Clint Alexander

9 years ago

Hoowantstono,

I admit to being a little confused. Were you just posting thoughts, or were you agreeing or disagreeing with something in my article?

But I have a few points as well:

1) The term "Christianity" was in use before Rome adopted the religion in 312 CE.

2) One of the points of this essay was to look at things more objectively. But in paragraphs 3 & 4 you make assertions that fall into the narrow-minded category. You say Muhammed is not a prophet and that Judaism and Islam are abominations. How can you assert that?

Millions of Muslims and Jews would disagree.

You write that because you believe in one particular unproven ideology while they believe in another.

How can you say with any assurance that you are the one in the right and they are wrong?

3) You write that christianity is not in support of either. Which? Islam and Judaism?

Why would they be?

4) Who exactly are these "real christians" you speak of? What separates them from others?

I look forward to your responses and thanks for the comment.

HOOWANTSTONO

9 years ago

Between the knowledge of "Islam" and so called "Christianity". Both carry a deception not noticeable at the hearing thereof.

Christianity is the adopted name Rome took on as its religion and political power, and both are void of truth. There is a False Christianity, and a True Christianity. The False Christianity is the Roman Catholic Religion even known as the Babylon Religion "Whore of Babylon".

Islam itself was rooted in the Judaism religion and off shoot of Jewish Cults mixed with Christian precepts. Mohammad, was never a prophet or could be." False Prophet"

Both of these Religions are judged as Abominations before God.

True Christianity does not see itself in support for either because they the true believers are "Born Again" and would rather give them the Gospel of Salvation.

Christian was the name or label given to those that preached the Gospel by the Romans. The word Christian is only mentioned twice in the bible.

Act 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

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